Catching up with Stanley Cup champion, New Milford HS alum Jared Waimon
NEW MILFORD, Conn. — The Stanley Cup, even to those that don鈥檛 follow hockey, is known as the most iconic trophy in sports and beyond. 聽Jared Waimon, a 1999 graduate of New Milford High School knows this firsthand.聽 聽Since 2019 Jared has been a part of 2 Stanley Cup Champions, working with the coaching staff聽and as a scout with the Tampa Bay Lightning.聽聽With incredible humility, he said, 鈥淭o be a tiny piece of such an amazing accomplishment, twice, is not even a dream come true because I never thought I would have a chance to be a part of such a thing.鈥�
The 1999 SWC All Conference goaltender and 2003 Graduate of Central Connecticut State will humbly say he had an 鈥渁verage鈥� hockey playing career.聽 Average is not a good description of his hockey career since his playing days.聽 After coaching private lessons for several years, he founded the internationally recognized Pro Crease Goaltending in 2008.聽 His influence in the hockey and goaltending community has produced several professional goaltenders, including 2019 NHL 1st Round pick, Spencer Knight.
Jared has coached at several high levels, which included a National Championship at Trinity College. From 2015-2019, he was the Goaltending Coach at national power, Quinnipiac University, with 3 of his goaltenders signing NHL contracts. He has been Goaltending Mentor for USA Hockey and will be the 2023 Goaltending Coach for USA Hockey in the World Junior Championships. All this, while running his successful Pro Crease Goaltending business.
So, while taking his 鈥渁verage鈥� playing career to national and international fame, Jared Waimon said that 鈥淨uality, consistency, and reliability are what matters most. The people at the top take notice of the quality of your work.鈥澛� He has studied the game to become one of the foremost goaltending experts in the sport, and, yes, the people at the top took notice. 聽Rand Pecknold, Head Coach at Quinnipiac, who Jared credits with 鈥渞aising my profile鈥� said,聽鈥淛ared鈥檚 commitment to excellence is what I appreciated most during his time at Quinnipiac. I was thrilled to be able to hire a person with his expertise and character on Team USA for the World Junior Championships鈥�
In his early years, the New Milford native was part of a Hockey family. 聽His father, Chuck, and brother, Adam were a big part of his early success. Adam is Director of Client Services at Pro Crease. He said that his father, CEO at Mutti USA, 鈥淗elped me learn how to act in a professional environment and treat co-workers and employees.鈥� His mother, Deborah Weiss, a Professional Artist, 鈥淗elped me understand the big picture and see all options.鈥�
When reminiscing about New Milford, he mentions 鈥渢he uniqueness of a big-small town鈥� and that New Milford was a bit isolated back then. 鈥淭here was a lot of trying to 鈥榝ind a way鈥� and adapting which is really important when you own your own business.鈥�
With family being so integral to his development while growing up, it is his enthusiasm when speaking of his wife and children that show evidence about what is most important to him.
His wife, Victoria, and sons Wesley, 10, and Isaac, 8 are the center of his life. Wesley is an aspiring trumpet player, and Isaac, as Jared says, 鈥渋s a man of many interests.鈥澛� He also mentions, 鈥淗aving a supportive wife is obviously the most important part of all of this.聽 Her sacrifices are immeasurable.鈥�
Jared has done his share of traveling, but it was a recent vacation in Portugal as big and important family trip.聽 Victoria, who is of Portuguese descent, was the impetus for this trip.
At the age of 41, Jared feels that he is just getting into his career.聽 When looking back at the beginning of his coaching and scouting career, he states that he never said 鈥淣o.鈥� He maintained his focus on 鈥淚s this going to help me be great in my field?鈥�
He has done this with Victoria, raising their sons, running a business, along with his scouting and coaching responsibilities. 聽Jared Waimon鈥檚 focus on 鈥渂eing great in his field鈥� has obviously paid off.聽 And with his accomplishments, and 2 Stanley Cups later, there is proof.
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